Chicken feeder



Apr. 17, 1923.

1,452,215 J.NULL

CHICKEN FEEDER Filed Dec. 14, 1922 Patented Apr. 17, 1923.

errant" JESSE NULL, or ascents, cnmronnrn.

CHICKEN FEEDER.

Application filed December 14, 1922. Serial No. 606,823.

the county of Los Angeles and State of California. have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Chicken Feeders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic feeders for poultry, and more particularly for very young chickens; and it consists in the novel construction'and combination of the parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a chicken feeder constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a crosssection through the base with the hopper removed, taken on the line 33 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a cross-section through the hopper removed from the base,

taken on the line 44 in Fig. 1.

A rectangular base 6 is provided, and may conveniently be made of wood. End plates 7 of sheet metal are secured to the base and project vertically above it, and are provided with ll-shaped notches 8. The lower parts 9 of the end plates are bent horizontally so as to project under the end portions of the base, and they are provided with vertical legs 10 which rest on the ground and hold the base 6 at a predetermined height above the ground to suit the small chickens.

The feed hopper is rectangular in plan, and is provided with V-shaped end plates 12 of wood, longitudinal bars 14: secured to the upper end portions of the end plates 12,

and front and rear sides 15 of woven wirework, which sides converge to a point at the bottom of the hopper.

The hopper is formed separately from the base, and its end plates 12 are placed in the notches of the end plates of the base, so that it is held upright and in place. The hopper is a little longer than the base, and triangular spring plates 16 are secured to the end plates 12 of the hopper, and have curved angle portions 17 which overlap and engage with the end plates 7 of the base, and secure the hopper in place. The base and the feed hopper are usually made much longer than shown in Fig. 1, so that a large brood of young chickens can be fed, but a short feeder, as shown, can also be made and used. Vertical retaining plates 20 are provided,

M f r he food W iQh l mm the pp r onto the base, and these retaining plates have flanges 21 which rest on the base. Clips 24: are secured by screws 25 to the base, and overlap the flanges 21, and afford a means of clamping the plates 20 to the base aftertheir distance from the hopper has been determined and adjusted to vary the widths of the feed troughs 26 formed between them and the bottom part of the hopper.

The cover 30 for the hopper is formed of a sheet of metal bent longitudinally at its middle portion to form an acute angle. The end portions of the plate 30 are secured to triangular end plates 31 of wood, which are arranged to rest on the end plates 12 of the feed hopper. The bottom edges of the cover plate 30 overlap and engage with the longitudinal bars 1% of the hopper, and pre vent the cover from sliding crosswise of it. Uprights 32 are secured to the end plates 31 of the cover, and overlap the end plates 12 of the hopper, so that the cover cannot slide off it endwise.

The top portions of the uprights 32 project above the top of the cover, and 33 is a bar which is journaled in the uprights by pins 34. The bar 38 is oblong in cross-section, and forms a convenient handle for raising the cover. It also prevents fowls from sitting on the ridge of the cover, as its oblong shape causes it to tilt over pivotally when a bird attempts to perch on it.

The feed is placed in the hopper, and the chickens pick it out through the wire-work, and from the troughs. The removability of the hopper is a great convenience, and it enables the feed troughs and the feed hopper to be cleaned out and disinfected with great facility.

What I claim is:

1. In a chicken feeder, a base, end plates secured to the base and provided with shaped notches, and a removable hopper provided with front and rear sides of wirework and having V-shaped end plates which fit in the notches of the end plates of the base.

2. In a chicken feeder, a base, end plates secured to the base and provided with V- shaped notches, a removable hopper provided with front and rear sides of wirework and having V-shaped end plates which fit in the notches of the end plates of the base, and spring plates secured to the end plates of he h pper and overlapp g an engaging With the end plates of the base and preventing the hopper from sliding end- Wise.

3. In a chicken feeder, a base, end plates secured to the base and provided With V- shaped notches, a removable hopper provided with front and rear sides of Wirevvork and having V-shaped end plates which fit in the notches of the end plates of the base, adjustable food retaining plates pro vided with base flanges which rest on the top of the base at its edges, and clip plates secured to the base and overlapping the base flanges of the retaining plates and securing them in place.

4. In a chicken feeder, a base, vertical end plates of metal secured to the base and provided with V-shaped notches, said end plates having horizontal portions which project under the base, and legs which project clown- Wardly from the horizontal portions and support the base above the ground, and a removable hopper provided with front and rear sides of Wire-Work and having V-shaped end plates Which fit in the notches of the end plates of the base.

5. In a chicken feeder, a rectangular feeder hopper having end plates, and longitudinal bars secured to the upper parts of the end plates at the front and back of the hopper; an angleshaped cover for the hopper the lower parts of which overlap and engage with the said bars, saidcover having trian ular end plates which rest on the L3 end plates of the hopper; and uprights secured to the triangular end plates and overlapping the end plates of' the hopper and preventing the cover from sliding endivise on the hopper.

In. testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

, JESSE NULL. 

